Twelve Galleries Project began as a roving exhibition series featuring the work of emerging artists over the course of one year. With each new month, a new location was selected and a new gallery was formed, producing 12 site-specific exhibi­tions from JANUARY all the way through to DECEMBER gallery.

For its second transitory venture, Twelve Galleries Project presents the Quarterly Site Series. QSS will focus its attention to the efforts of curators and current Chicago galleries. Every quarter for the next three years, within an existing Chicago gallery, three curators will collectively organize a themed exhibition. Specific to QSS is collaboration. With the exception of a predetermined theme that is conducive to varied interpretation, there are no rules. Because there are no rules, each group of curators has the possibility to develop a unique model of curatorial practice. Quarterly Site #3: Stay In Your Lane! is hosted by Swimming Pool Project Space. Using the theme of direction, three curators conceptualize their various interpretations of the word by dissecting the gallery into physical lanes.

Well, the prestigious institution that is Urban Dictionary dot com need not worry any longer because we have assembled the experts right here, right now for Quarterly Site #3: Stay In Your Lane! And, as you may already know, experts don’t have to follow the rules—they make ‘em, as is evident by the curatorial efforts of Anthony Elms, Katherine Pill and Philip von Zweck. Organizing a three-four-five-six-in-one exhibition, each curator has expertly directed the theme of direction into a walled off lane within the gallery space. Anthony Elms curates the work of artists Danielle Gustafson-Sundell, Shane Huffman, Erin Leland, Matthew Metzger, Sonny Venice and Philip von Zweck.

Every driver thinks that they are a great driver, and every driver is an expert on the road of life. However, being that expert driver on his cell-phone who drives just over the yellow lines and even occasionally veers off into on-coming traffic, Elms curates a lane that asks itself, Can I really manage to stay inside these lines? And furthermore, do I want to:

The world is black and white; between the lines. Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes at the horizon. Get lost in the scenery, for even a second, and you're likely to drift, dragging your side against the guide rail. Oops. Of course, now that the damage is done you have to admit that the scraped paint looks pretty nice. And the crumpled, slashed and puckered surface feels real nice to the touch. Fits the hand nicely, even.

Curating site-specific works that concern the idea of self-control and discipline, Pill creates a lane that is meant to be followed precisely. In order to exemplify the often strict regime of the artist, she taps into her right brain’s expertise and formulates a visual representation of persistence and will-power. Philip von Zweck curates sub-curators Christina Cosio, Stevie Greco and David Roman. von Zweck divides his lane by three to establish himself as the mathematical expert of the bunch. The ultimate delegater, he then directs those who direct by selecting three proxy curators. In turn, each sub-curator directs their own lane within von Zweck’s initial lane. Yes, it is quite the equation:

Christina Cosio curates the work of artist Erik Peterson. Stevie Greco curates the work of artists Jason Bryant, Todd Mattei and Caroline Picard. David Roman curates the collaborative work of artists Matt Irie and Dominick Talvacchio.